Washington Square by Henry James

Love demands certain things as a right; but Catherine had no sense of her rights.
Narrator - Washington Square

Henry James was born in April of 1843 at 21 Washington Place in Manhattan, New York City to wealthy parents, but spent most of his life living abroad. A lover of reading and crafting his own stories, Henry James began his writing career as a critic and journalist, but quickly turned to fiction with his first novel, Watch and Ward, published in 1871.

He wrote more than 20 novels in his lifetime with The Portrait of a Lady being the most well-known. Henry James novels are recognized as strong works of psychological depth  with plots exploring human relationships with an intricately-crafted prose style.

Published in1880-81, Washington Square is one of Henry James’ shorter novels.  It first ran as a serial in The Cornhill Magazine in 1880 and then in book form in 1881 by NY publisher, Harper and Brothers. It is a work known for its well-developed, intricate plot and meticulously-crafted characters.

Washington Square is set in the mid-19th century in the area where Henry James was born — the heart of New York City and in the present day Greenwich Village Neighborhood. The setting has a direct influence on how the characters and their actions are formed  — the peaceful, isolated nature of the square itself, contrasting with the bustle and active atmosphere surrounding it.

The strongest theme throughout this work centers on society’s expectations and the pressure that it inflicts on individuals and the characters are worth study - complex and multi-layered. Washington Square is supposedly based on a story told to Henry James by British actress, Fanny Kemble, a friend of James’.  It was not one of Henry James’ favorites among his own works, but is definitely worth a close read.

For our  Summer Book Lunch  we will discuss the Henry James novel,  Washington Square. It’s our first Henry James book as a book group — why do you think he has remained so popular? We will be discussing this book over a delicious lunch on Saturday, July 18, 2026.